White hecklers jeer at Smith

Press, 21 July 1978, Page 5

White hecklers jeer at Smith

NZPA Salisbury, In a display of white hos-j tility unprecedented since he came to power 14 years ago, the Rhodesian Prime Minis-! ter (Mr lan Smith) has been heckled and booed at a by-, election meeting in Salisbury. Mr Smith was addressing his first all-white public meeting since the March 3 agreement with three moderate black nationalist leaders committing the country to black rule by the year’s end.

He was interrupted with shouts of “Rubbish,” and “How many more have to die?" as he argued the deal was the best his country’s white minority could expect after six years of war and under pressure from the rest of the world, including its neighbour, white-ruled South Africa.

“We are fighting for our lives, for our very existence,” Mr Smith told the restive audience of 300 who packed a school hall in the affluent suburb of Highlands North.

It was incredible, said Mr Smith, if Rhodesians believed they could live in isolation from the rest of the world. This was greeted by calls of “We’ve done it for 12 years,” — a reference to Mr Smith’s declaration of independence from Britain in an attempt to avoid black rule. Sections of the audience were clearly supporters of small Right-wing parties which with Mr Smith’s Rhodesian Front and a white liberal movement are contesting the by-election today. It will almost certainly be the last poll for one of the 50 white-reserved seats in the present 66-member legislature.

For the last 13 years Mr Smith’s party, on a platform aimed at preserving whiteminority rule indefinitely, has won every white seat. “It’s all very well to

shout, but what is the alter-i native?” Mr Smith retorted to sarcastic reminders that he once said of black rule: “Never in a thousand years.” Clearly nettled by laughter and jeers of “That would be a change” when he said he had entered the agreement with the blacks with absolute honesty, Mr Smith said the behaviour of the hecklers was more characteristic of black Africa.

There appeared to be considerable sympathy for Mr Smith among the quieter sections of the audience. One woman rose toward the end to apologise saying: “Before it was always ’good old Smithy.’ When things go wrong they all want to be down on him.”

Most of the questioners clearly saw little future for themselves in Rhodesia under even moderate black rule, and no prospect of an end to the fighting through the present agreement which externally based black nationalist guerrillas have rejected. The Patriotic Front black nationalist movement, which is waging a guerrilla war in Rhodesia, has warned the United States that any lifting of sanctions against the rebel British colony would’ tie regarded as an act of hostility. A spokesman for the front! was reacting to reports from; the United States that a pro-; posal to end sanctions would, soon be put before Congress.' A Rhodesian military statement has reported another 21 deaths in the war’ with nationalist guerrillas. A white farmer was killed in the Selukwe area, where Mr lan Smith owns a farm,. 250 km south of Salisbury. The statement said that] security forces had killed seven nationalists and four * terrorist collaborators. Nine black civilians had been killed by guerrillas in the operational areas, the statement added.